Car-brake.



PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

W. S. WASHBURN.

GAR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1905.

2 SHBETSSHEET 1.

hu hU 1 I 1 r I x v i UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa.

WILLIAM SEARS IVASHBURN, OF BROOKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'IO LEVER SUSPENSION BRAKE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CAR-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 239,290-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SEARS TASTI- BURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, county of Plymouth, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Car-Brakes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve the car-brake illustrated and described in Patent No. 758,177, dated April 26, 1904. In said car-brake the brakes are suspended from the outer ends of brake-supporting levers, which are fulcrumed on the axle-boxes, the inner ends of said levers being connected to the truck-frame in some suitable way, preferably by passing through eyes on the caps of the equalizer-springs. The brakes are suspended from the brake-supporting levers by means of hangers, which are connected di rectly to the brakes and which are slidably mounted on said levers. The purpose of this slidable connection is to permit the brakehead and hanger to move toward the wheel in ahorizontal line as the brake-shoes and wheels become worn, whereby the shoes are more evenly worn than in prior constructions, where the brake-beam is suspended from links which are hung from the truck-frame. In the car-brake illustrated in said patent, how ever, the sliding connection between the brake and the brake-supporting lever is at the upper end of the hanger and therefore some distance above the brake-beam and the horizontal plane in which power is applied thereto for setting the brakes. The result of this construction is that, owing to the friction between each hanger and its brake-supporting lever, the pull on the brake-beam when the brakes are being set swings the hangers inward toward the wheels about their point of connection with the brake-supporting lever, thus causing the hangers to bind more or less on the levers and preventing the free sliding movement which it was desired to obtain. I have improved this construction by so shaping the brake-supporting lever that the sliding connection between the brake and the lever comes substantially in the line of the pull on the brake-beam, so that the movement of the brakes toward and from the wheels does not cause any binding in this sliding connection. I have also improved said brake by providing each brake-supporting lever with means at its fulcrum for preventing longitudinal movement thereof, all as will be more fully hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a truck having my improved brake applied thereto, a portion of said truck being shown in dotted lines to better show the construction of the brake. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one corner of the truck-frame. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the fulcrum-bracket on substantially the line 4r :1 Fig. 4:. Fig. 4: is a vertical section on the line 1/ Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line a a, Fig. 1. Flg. 6 IS a horizontal section on the line Z) 7), Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side view of one end of a truck, showing a inodilied form of my invention. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of Fig. '7; and Fig. 9 is a section on the line 0 c, Fig. 8.

I have for convenience shown my invention as applied to an ordinary passenger-car truckframe, although I desire to state that with suitable modifications my improved brake is applicable to any form of truck-frame.

In the truck-frame herein illustrated 3 designates the usual wheel-pieces, having secured thereto and depending therefrom the pedestals a, which receive the axle-boxes 5, all as usual in passenger-car trucks of this description. The wheel-pieces rest on and are supported by suitable springs, which include the equalizer-springs 6, the latter resting on and being supported by the usual equalizer-bars 7, which extend from one axle-box to the other.

The parts thus far described are such as are commonly found in passenger-car trucks and form no part of my present invention.

The brakes are shown as comprising the usual brake-heads 8, carrying brake-shoes 9 and carried by the usual brake-beam 10.

Fulcrumed on each axle-box is a brake-supporting lever 11, and the inner end of each lever projects through and is supported by an eye or loop 12, carried by or forming part of the usual cap 13 of an equalizer-spring. Each lever is offset or bent downwardly, as at 1%, so that the outer end 140 thereof stands in substantially the same horizontal plane as that in which power is applied to the brake-beam. On this outer end of each lover a brake is slidably mounted in some suitable way. In the preferred form of my invention either the brake-head or the brake-shoe will be provided with an eye 15, through which the end 140 of the brake-supporting lever 11 loosely passes. The brake-supporting levers 11 are fulcrumed on the axle-boxes, and to support and hold said levers in place and to provide a fulcrum for them each axle-box has either formed integral therewith or placed thereon a fulcrumed bracket 16. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 this bracket is provided with the rounded bearing-surface 17, on which the lower edge of the lever rocks, and also with the overhanging flange 18,, also having a rounded bearing-surface 19, against which the upper edge of said lever fulcrums. As stated above, this fulcrumbracket may be either formed integral with the axle-box or secured thereto in any suitable Way.

The power for setting the brakes is applied to the brake-beam in a substantially horizontal direction, as usual. In my improved construction the outer end 140 of each brakesupporting lever is situated substantially in the same horizontal plane as the brake-beam, and therefore in substantially the same plane as that in which the power is applied to the brake-beam. The result of this construction, as will be obvious, is that when the brakes are applied or released the brake-heads are slid back and forth on the outer ends 140 of the brake-supporting levers, this movement being in a substantially horizontal line parallel with the direction of the pull on the brakebeam. All binding or cramping of the sliding connection between the brake-supporting lever and the brakes is thereby avoided, and the brake-shoes move back and forth in paral lel lines instead of on the arc of a circle, with the result that they are much more evenly worn than with the prior constructions. I have also provided means at the fulcrum-point of each lever for maintaining said lever against movement longitudinally.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to t each fulcrum-bracket is provided with the notch or recess 20, in which is received a projection or lug 21, carried by the brake-supporting lever. In this form of the invention the lug or projection does not form the bearing on which the lever rocks, but merely is a positioning-lug for holding it in place. My invention, however, would not be departed from if said lug were constructed to rest on the bottom of the recess 20, and thereby form a fulcrum-point about which the lever turns.

When the brakes are applied, the springcap 13 forms a resistance member for one end of the lever, and therefore it will be seen that the means for preventing the longitudinal movement of the brake-supporting lever is situated between the resistance member and the brake.

In Figs. 7 to 9 I have illustrated another form of my invention. In this embodiment each axle-box 5 has formed integral therewith or has secured thereto a fulcrum-bracket 160,carrying a trunnion 23, on which the brakesupporting lever 110 is fulcrumed. Said lever is provided with the offset portion 14, as in the other embodiment of my invention, and the .end 140 thereof comes substantially in the line of movement of the brakes and passes through an ear 150, formed on either the brake-shoe or brake-head, as deemed most eX- pedient; The other end of said lever extends into and is supported by an eye 120, carried by the cap 130 of an equalizer-spring 6.

WVhenever there is sufi icient space on any car-truck between the car-w heels and the parts of the truck-frame, I prefer to make brakesupporting levers as shown in Fig. 2*that is, without any lateral offset; but in some styles of car-trucks levers of this shape would be located so near the car-wheels that the lateral movement of the' car-wheels with relation to the truck-frame might bring the rims of the wheels against said levers. To avoid any danger of this occurring, I may, if neces sary, offset the ends of the levers in a lateral direction, as shown in Fig. 8. By means of this construction sufficient space is afforded between the rim of each wheel and the ends of the brake-supporting levers to permit any lateral play of the wheel without any danger of the wheel rubbing against the brake-supporting levers. In this form of my invention it will he noted that the fulcrum itself also constitutes means for preventing longitudinal movement of the brake-supporting lever as well as in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

Although I have herein illustrated two embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto, as various changes in the details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the invention.

One of the important features of the invention is a brake construction in which the brake is slidably mounted directly on the brakesupporting member, so that the brake slides back and forth on said member as the brakes are applied or released. In the form of my invention herein illustrated the brake-supporting member is in the nature of a lever fulcrumed on the axle-box; but this feature of my invention might be embodied in other types of brake mechanism.

Another feature of my invention is a brakesupporting member, whether in the form of a lever or not, which is so constructed that the end on which the brake is slidably mounted stands in substantially the same plane as that in which power is applied to the brake. Another important feature is providing the brake-supporting lever at its fulcrum-point with means to prevent it from longitudinal movement.

In the above description and the claims I use the term brake to include brakehead, brake-shoe, and brake-beam, or their equivalents.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-brake, a horizontally-arranged pivotally-mounted brake-supporting level-and a brake supported thereby, the end of the lever from which the brake is supported being substantially in the plane of the movement of the brake as it is applied.

2. In a car-brake, a pivotally-mounted brake-supporting lever and a brake slidably supported thereon, the end of the lever to which the brake is connected being substantially in the plane of movement of the brake as it is applied.

3. In a car-brake, a pivotally-mounted brake-supporting lever fulcrumed on an axlebox, and a brake supported by said lever, the end of the lever to which the brake is connected being substantially in the horizontal plane of the line of the pull on the brake as it is applied.

4. In a carbrake, a brake comprising brakeshoes supported at the ends of a brake-beam, and brake-supporting levers fulcru'med on each axle-box and by which said brake is supported, the outer end of each lever being substantially in line with the brake-beam.

5. In a car-brake, a pair of brake-supporting levers fulcrumed on the axle-boxes of a car-axle, a brake slidably mounted on the outer ends of said levers, said brake comprising brake-shoes carried by a brake-beam, the outer ends of said levers being in line with the brake-beam.

6. In a car-brake, a brake-sopporting lever fulcrumed between its ends, and a brake slidably mounted directly on said lever.

7. In a car-brake, a brake comprising a brake-head and a brake-shoe, one of said parts having an eye and a pivotally-mounted brakesupporting lever having one end passing through said eye.

8. In a car-brake, a brake-supporting lever fulcrumed on an aXle-boX, and a brake supported by said lever, said brake having an eye through which the end of saidlever passes.

9. In a car-brake, a brake-supporting lever fulcrumed on an axle-box, a brake having an eye slidably mounted on said lever, said eye being in the line of movement of. the brake as the latter is applied or released.

10. In a car-brake. a brake-supporting lever 5 fulcrumed on an axle-box and having one end engaged by a resistance member, a brake supported by said lever, and means intermediate said brake and resistance member to prevent longitudinal movement of said lever.

11. In a car-brake, a brakesupporting lever fulcrumed on an axle-box, a brake supported by said lever, and means at the fulcrum-point of said lever to prevent longitudinal movement thereof.

12. In a car-brake, a bralv'c-supporting lever fulcrumed on an axle-box, a brake slidably mounted on the outer end of said lever, said outer end being situated substantially in the line of movement of the brake as the latter is applied or released, and means at the fulcrum-point of the lever to hold it from longitudinal movement.

13. In acar-brake, a brake-summrtinglever fulcrumed on an axle-box, said lever being bent downwardly, the outer end of said lever standing substantially horizontally and below the level of the axle, and a brake slidably mounted on said outer end.

14. Inacar-brake,a brake-supportingmember, and a brake having an eye slidably mounted on said member, said eye being substantially in the same plane as that in which power is applied to the brakes for setting the same.

15. In a car-bral e, a brake comprising a brake-head and a brake-shoe, one of said parts having an eye on its side and situated substantially in the horizontal plane in which power is applied to the brake, and a brakesupporting member passing through said eye and on which the brake is slidably mounted.

16. A brake-head having projecting laterally therefrom an eye to receive abrake-supporting lever.

17. A brake-head having projecting laterally therefrom an eye whose aperture extends horizontally parallel to the side face of the brake-head.

18. A brake-head having integral therewith a horizontally-arranged eye, the aperture of which extends substantially parallel to the side face of the brake-head.

19. A brake-head having integral therewith and on its side face a projection shaped to present a horizontally-arranged socket to receive the end of a brake-supporting lever.

20. In a car-brake, a brake-supporting member, a brake-head supported thereby, said brake-head having integral therewith on its side face a projection provided with an aperture through which the end of the brake-supporting member slides.

.2 1. In a car-brake,a brake-supporting member, a brakehead supported thereby, said brake-head having integral therewith on its side face a projection provided with an aperture through which the end of the brake-supporting member slides, said end of the brakesupporting lever being situated substantially in the plane in which power is applied to the brake.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

Wl lihIA )I SEARS WASIIBURN.

Witnesses:

Louis C. Sm'ru, hIA'RGARET A. DUNN. 

